Bahamas Financial Services Board is in the final stages of selecting a replacement for the outgoing executive ahead of Friday's application deadline. The high-profile position is central to the promotion of the jurisdiction's financial services sector.

With the October 14 application deadline fast approaching, officials remain tight-lipped over the search for a new chief executive officer and executive director of the Bahamas Financial Services Board (BFSB)–a multidisciplinary body at the forefront of the jurisdiction’s financial services sector.

“I cannot make any comments while we’re going through the process. Suffice to say there’s been a very positive response,”?says BFSB chairman Paul Winder, who heads the five-person interview committee.

Other committee members include Deborah Fraser, director of legal affiars at the Attorney General’s Office and private sector representatives Bruno Roberts of The Private Trust Corporation Ltd and Linda Beidler-D’ Aguilar of Graham Thompson & Co.

Also sitting on the committee is the outgoing CEO, Wendy Warren. She announced her resignation just over a month ago following an 11-year tenure with the quasi-government agency.

Following Friday’s deadline, the interview committee will assess all applications, interviewing short-listed candidates and then making a final recommendation for the board’s consideration and approval.

The high-profile position involves managing and executing strategic development programme’s to enhance The Bahamas’ competitive advantage as “the wealth and asset management gateway to the Americas.”

Moreover, the new CEO will monitor and execute programmes in-line with the BFSB’s mandate as the national agency responsible for the international marketing and promotion of the country’s second largest sector.

The successful applicant is expected to have senior management experience in the financial services industry and bring proven leadership and management skills to the position.

“This is an important position,” says Winder. “We are trying to make sure that we are as thorough as possible [and] encourage as many people as possible who are qualified to apply, so that we can find the CEO that we feel will be able to take the BFSB to the next stage.”?